My Father's Eyes Are Blue
by AJCrane
Summary: This is an expanded version of my two part Bat Short Story. Damian learns the truth about Dick Grayson's place in the family and an old enemy from nine years ago come back. It was difficult to know what to rate this as each chapter unfolds. NC-17 Seems to be right. So I've changed the rating to M as someone suggested just to be sure.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: This is an expanded version of the one shot that I wrote earlier. It is a continuation of my story, Where Loyalty Lies. Damian is confused about who Dick's father is. Dick answers Damian's, which causes Damian to rethink his place in the family. Will he be pleased? Plus, an old enemy returns._

/

My Father's Eyes Are Blue

By

AJ

Part 1

Damian knocked on Dick Grayson's door, having seen that the light was still on in his room.

"Yes," Dick said, a little distracted.

"May I enter?" Damian asked.

"Sure, little brother, what can I do for you?"

"You can answer a question that has been puzzling me."

"What's your question?" Dick asked.

"You said your father's eyes were gray. What color were your Mother's eyes?"

"Hazel Green actually. Sometimes they looked more hazel and other times they looked green."

"But why are your eyes blue?" Damian questioned.

"Because I got the color from my Dad," Dick answered.

"But you said your father's eyes were gray, I do not understand."

Dick had to smile at Daimian's eleven-year-old naivety. For all Damian's knowledge, he was still naïve about life. "Let me see if I can explain this. Even though I was born to John and Mary Grayson, John wasn't my biological father. He was my father where it really counted, but . . ."

"You mean your biological father was someone else?" Damian questioned. "You mean your mother gave birth to a b . . ."

". . . Don't say it, please," Dick swiftly cut Damian's last word off.

"Do you know who he is?"

"I know who my biological father is." Dick said. The look on Damian's face caused Dick to pause. He didn't want to hurt this kid whom he has gotten to know, so much like Bruce and yet Damian was his own person as well. It was as if he was given a special gift, watching Bruce grow up, but Damian wasn't Bruce and Bruce was back among them, learning to cope with the fact that he had a family again. "I've known my father since I was ten, but I didn't know it at the time."

"Grayson, don't speak in riddles. Who is your father?"

"It's rather complicated," Dick said. He moved to his desk and pulled out the papers that Bruce had given him when he was 15 years old. He had been ecstatic to learn the truth, but at the same time, he didn't want to hurt the memory of the father that he had known for the first ten years of his life. That was why he had chosen not to take the Wayne name, but maybe it was about time that he did.

"Um, my father . . . see he . . . took me in . . . without knowing who I was either."

"WHAT?" Damian's eyes narrowed. What was Grayson saying? That his father was . . . no it couldn't be. He was Bruce Wayne's son. His mother told him. Grayson couldn't . . . "You're lying."

"Damian, it's the truth," Dick said. "I wouldn't lie about a thing like that." He knew that Damian might not believe him, so he kept the papers that Bruce had given him. "Here, read it for yourself," Dick handed Damian the folder containing the information.

Damian's eyes scanned the sheet. 99.99% He looked up at Dick Grayson, his eyes wide then he dropped them on the floor. 'I . . .I'm not the heir,' he thought. 'No . . . this can't be happening. This isn't true. Father should have told me.' Damian raced out the door, trying to get away from his big brother. 'I have to think.'

"DAMIAN WAIT!" Dick raced to the door, but the littlest Wayne was gone.

Continues with Part 2


	2. Chapter 2

My Father's Eyes Are Blue

By

AJ

Part 2

It took Dick Grayson two hours to find Damian. He looked through the manor, searching through Damian's hiding places where he knew the boy would go when he was troubled. He didn't expect to find him down in the cave in a fight with their father, Bruce Wayne.

"WHY DIDN"T YOU TELL ME WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED!" Damian yelled. "Didn't I have a right to know? When were you going to tell me, when I was his age?"

"Damian," Bruce sat calmly at the computer, letting his son continue to rant for a few seconds more.

"What were you thinking? That I wasn't old enough to know? You should have told me the FIRST DAY!

"DAMIAN!"

The quick, sharp command of his name snapped Damian out of his rant. The scowl remained on his face, apparently still angry with his father for keeping such an important secret.

"Damian, I don't know what you're talking about. You come storming down here . . ."

"I'm talking about GRAYSON!" Damian interrupted.

"What about your brother," Bruce asked, as he continued to enter the results from the Strige Case.

The word nearly infuriated Damian further, yet he couldn't deny what the DNA test results had shown. Richard T. Grayson was more than just the adopted son of Bruce Wayne. He was Bruce Wayne's first biological son, born to a lowly circus performer, and more likely heir to the Wayne fortune. Damian almost cracked a smirk at that thought. 'His Mother probably would go ballistic if she knew.'

"What . About . Your . Brother?" Bruce asked again a bit more slowly and turning toward Damian so he had his full attention. He briefly saw that Dick was standing up on the stairs.

"Don't call him that!"

"Told you didn't he?" Bruce surmised. "It's about time. I was hoping he would get you to see the truth."

"What do you mean?" Damian's eyes narrowed.

"If you remember Damian, I told you about Dick when you first arrived, that he was your brother. But you refused to acknowledge him."

"BECAUSE HIS NAME ISN'T WAYNE! IT'S GRAYSON!"

"Did you ask him why he didn't take the name Wayne? It is his legal right."

"LEGAL . . ." Damian didn't say anything at first, then crossed his arms and admitted, "No, I didn't."

"Damian, listen. When I met Dick, I had no idea who he really was at the time. I saw an angry ten-year-old who lost his parents because someone murdered them, just like someone murdered my parents. He was going to go to the police, but the police of Newtown were corrupt. Most of them were in Boss Zucco's pocket. He would have been dead within two hours if he had reported it."

"So, you took him in because you felt sorry for him," Damian's words were biting. "He should have died. I thought I was your only true son. You should have told me."

In the background Dick flinched, as he listened to his father and brother. Damian was really upset, and he didn't blame him, but the words Damian spouted out cut Dick like a knife. He thought Damian cared for him after all they had been through together. Dick walked back up the stairs to his room, shaking his head trying not to let the hurt overwhelm him. To hear Damian say he should have died, that shook Dick to his core.

'He's just upset. It's going to take some time for him to adjust. Who are you kidding Grayson. You know how Damian has felt. He's made it clear on several occasions, even when I was Batman. He believes he's Bruce's only biological son. Well, maybe if I leave for a while, if I can't get him to see reason, maybe Bruce can.' Dick thought. 'I need to get back to my apartment anyway. And it's high time I checked in with Commissioner Gordon. I'm on that special task force and I know Bruce informed him about what's going on, but it's time I report in,' Dick continued, making excuses and not trying to feel that Damian's words hurt him deeply.

Dick walked back to his room and pulled a suitcase out of his closet and packed what he could. He looked back at his room and sighed forgetting about the papers that were still scattered on the floor. He grabbed his jacket and keys and quietly left the Manor.

Continues with Part 3

A/N: Okay, now we're caught up from the last time. Things will get really interesting from here on out.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: I thought since it was TUESday, I would post a SECOND part. Enjoy!_

/

My Father's Eyes Are Blue

By

AJ

Part 3

Bruce had caught Dick standing at the top of the stairs, but he kept his attention on Damian. He had heard such talk coming from his youngest son, in regards to all of the older boys, but he had dismissed it, believing Damian would come to accept his brothers' place in the family. It seemed he was wrong.

"Damian," Bruce growled. "That was uncalled for. I certainly would not wish that on any of my sons."

"Including Todd and Drake?"

"Especially Todd and Drake. Besides, Todd already died once. He doesn't need to die again."

"I don't understand Father," Damian stated. "I might be able to accept Grayson as my brother, but you cannot get me to accept Todd or Drake."

"Damian, family isn't just by blood. There are those in the world who cannot have children of their own, so they adopt. They bring a child into their home because that child needs a home and it is the right thing to do."

"Why didn't you tell me about Grayson?" This time tears showed in Damian's eyes. "I thought I was your son."

"Damian, you are my son, not just my only son," Bruce said. "Now, what did you say to Dick when he told you?"

"I . . . I didn't want to believe it," Damian said his words going down to a whisper. "Then he showed me those papers . . ."

"Ah, and you still did not want to believe it."

"My Mother is a princess, the daughter of Ra's al Ghul. Grayson's mother is a lowly circus performer. He's just common."

"And you don't think that I could love someone who is common . . ."

"I . . . did you love . . .?" Damian couldn't get himself to finish the question. It just seemed unthinkable to him that his father would have fallen in love with . . . with someone as lowly as a . . . circus . . . No, it just didn't seem conceivable.

"When I met Mary Grayson, she wasn't married. Her name was Mary Rousten and I joined Haly's Circus as a roustabout so I could learn to be a better acrobat. I looked older than I was. And I was strong for my age. I stayed with Haly's circus for six months, and learned a great deal."

"How old were you?" Damian asked.

"You don't want to know."

"Father, I know all about the 'birds and the bees.' Mother's education was very thorough. She wanted me to learn how the common folk produced their children to stress the fact how uncommon I was. And I asked her when I was five."

"I was 17, and Dick came to live with me when I was 28."

"I still cannot see how you could have done . . ."

"Damian, it wasn't as if I or Dick's Mother planned it. She came to me, very distraught, and well, things just happened. I didn't know what happened. She hinted at it in her letters, telling me about her son, her blue-eyed son whose mind was very quick and had a natural athletic ability. I still didn't know, until Dick found an old photograph taken on the day I left the circus. If I had known that day, I would have delayed and I would have stayed and married Mary Rousten."

Is that what you told Gray . . . Richard?"

"Yes, Damian."

Damian felt ashamed. "I called . . . Richard . . . a bastard."

"Well, I think you owe your brother an apology."

"Perhaps," Damian said, turning his head away. "I did think of one thing. My Mother . . . she sees me as the heir to the Wayne fortune. You know she wanted me to kill . . . She wanted me to kill you and . . . Everyone, because she saw you . . . And everyone as an obstacle to that fortune."

Bruce noticed how Damian avoided saying any of their names. "She wanted you to kill . . . everyone. That included Dick, Jason, and Tim?"

"If I killed you and left the others alive, she believed they would inherit before I would. She wanted to be certain that I . . ." Damian couldn't finish. Realizing he had no right now. Dick would simply inherit first because he was Bruce Wayne's first biological son. It wasn't fair, but it was the truth, a fact that Damian could not deny. He still didn't feel that Todd or Drake should be considered part of the family, but accepting Dick Grayson as his brother, that he might be willing to accept. Grayson could be annoying with his hugs and grandiose smile, but Damian realized that if Dick were gone, he would miss him. Thinking about the two months when Dick had disappeared, he didn't want to let on that it hurt, but Damian had to admit to himself he had felt hollow inside. He didn't want to experience that hollowness, that emptiness ever again.

Realizing what he had to do, Damian raced back up the stairs, stopping half way. "Thanks Father, and I will apologize."

Damian raced up to the Manor and up to Dick Grayson's room, his brother's room.

"Richard . . . are you here?" He spied the papers on the floor where they had slipped from his hands. He picked them up and replaced them in the folder and placed them on the desk. "Maybe he's in the bathroom.' Damian knocked on the door, but there was no answer. He then noticed that Dick's pajamas were lying on the bed. He looked around once more and saw that the closet door was open. 'His suitcase . . . it's . . . NO! What have I done?'

Continues with Part 4


	4. Chapter 4

My Father's Eyes Are Blue

By

AJ

Part 4

"It's my fault! It's all my fault!" Damian wailed. He had never cried like this before . . . for anyone, not even when Father was missing. That hollow feeling had returned and it scared him completely. He could not help himself. He didn't know how long he'd been in Dick's room, but he couldn't find himself to leave. He didn't want to leave. All he wanted was for his brother to come home.

"Master Damian?" Alfred found Damian in Dick's room lying across Dick's bed with his head pressed against Dick's pillow.

"I didn't mean to . . ."

"Master Damian, tell me, what are you doing in Master Richard's room?"

Damian sat up to see Alfred Pennyworth with deep concern in his eyes. Dick saw the servant as his grandfather. Perhaps he could too. "I . . . I said some words . . . "

"Come now, Master Damian, it can't be all that bad."

'It is . . . And now he's . . . he's gone."

"Master Richard? Gone?"

"I've . . . I've got to find him," Damian suddenly said as he popped off the bed. "I've got to tell him I'm sorry."

Damian raced out of Dick's room and into his own. He changed his clothes into a jacket with a hood. He then pulled out a backpack and checked its contents. He kept it in case of an emergency. He pulled out a rope from underneath his bed. He opened the window onto his small private balcony. Dick's room had a tree near his balcony, one that Dick would use when he was younger to climb out on to look at the stars when he should have been asleep. Damian's room had no such tree, but the balcony still would supply him with a way down.

"Master Damian, what are you doing?"

"Don't try to stop me Pennyworth. I need to find my brother and bring him home."

Alfred watched as Damian climbed down from the balcony and raced across the lawn and into the surrounding woods.

"Master Damian, come back!"

Damian though was gone, faster than Alfred gave him credit for. "Master Bruce, I must let Master Bruce know. He'll get hurt out there alone."

Alfred raced as quickly as he could to the batcave, nearly winded.

"Alfred, you look haggard what's happened."

"I tried to stop him, but I'm afraid Master Damian has gone and done something rash."

"Rash?" Flashes of Damian trying to kill Dick played in Bruce's mind. After the conversation they just had he thought Damian understood. "Where is he?"

"He's gone, Sir."

"Gone?"

"He's gone after Master Richard."

"Dick? He's gone, too?" What's gotten into his oldest and youngest boys? Then he thought about what Damian said and remembered that Dick had been standing on the stairs. Had he overheard Damian's words, of wanting him to die? And just when Dick had been rescued from the Striges. He didn't need to hear that he wasn't wanted, not by his youngest brother.

"Will you be sending Batman after them?"

"No, Alfred, not unless they get into trouble. However, Bruce Wayne will be going out searching for both his boys."

"Where do you think they might have gone?"

"If I know Dick, he'll take to the high ground. I scolded him once for using his bat rope one night when he wasn't in costume. He climbed up to the top of Gotham Tower. It was the anniversary of his parents' deaths. He said he wanted to be close to them. I reminded him that he took a very big chance of someone seeing him out of costume. He realized his error and made certain not to do it again. Of course, Dick's skill as an acrobat and aerialist made him skilled enough that he knew what he was doing, but Damian, his skills are still growing in that area. Perhaps you are right. I better do this as Batman. They may need the caped crusader's help before this night is over."

Bruce did not know how prophetic his words would be.

Continues with Part 5


	5. Chapter 5

My Father's Eyes Are Blue

By

AJ

Part 5

It took Damian only fifteen minutes to get to the edge of the Gotham City limits. Even though he was on foot, but he was quick and agile, and he used the terrain to his advantage. It had been part of his training as an assassin. He was also able to hitch a ride on a passing trailer truck entering the city. Once he got close he used his grappling hook to catch onto a nearby rooftop. From there, he headed further into the city limits.

Finding Dick Grayson in the multitude of people wasn't going to be easy, but Damian was resourceful. He knew the car that Dick was driving. It was a red sporty convertible model that Bruce had given Dick when he turned 16 when he received his driver's license. The car was getting old, but Dick took good care of it. Besides his motorcycle and the red car, Dick also had an old VW camper. All of his vehicles were equipped with special gadgets that most vehicles didn't have. And that's how Damian was going to track his brother.

Damian pulled out the bat tracker from his backpack and turned it on. He found the frequency that he knew was Dick's red sports car and watched where the car was going. Dick didn't seem to be going to any particular destination, just driving around, aimlessly. Damian watched the blip on his tracker that represented Dick's car. It was making all kinds of crazy twists and turns. Damian suspected at first that Dick might be going to see Barbara Gordon, but that wasn't the case. Barbara Gordon's apartment was in the Gotham Clock Tower, but Dick's car wasn't anywhere near there. Why would Dick drive around like that if he were going to see Barbara? He would simply go straight to the clock tower. The car finally stopped near a park, and the park wasn't far from Damian's location. Damian kept an eye on the tracking device, making sure the car hadn't moved as he traveled to where the car was parked. Within thirty minutes, Damian came upon Dick's car, but Dick wasn't inside. Where was he? He looked inside and saw Dick's suitcase in the back seat. Maybe Dick went for a walk in the park, but it was dark and the park was closed at night.

Damian's foot brushed up against something that sounded like metal when it moved. He spotted the object lying on the ground. It was Dick's keys. That's when Damian spotted something else, a small trace of blood that had trickled down the side of the door.

'NO! Dick!' Damian's eyes narrowed. What could have happened? Where was Dick and who could have done this?

Then Damian thought about the crazy pattern that the blip made on the tracker. Had Dick been trying to elude someone who was following him, but couldn't? Had Dick been kidnapped again? This would make it the third kidnapping in as many months. Damian checked the car door and found it to be unlocked. On the seat he saw a feather. What would a feather be doing inside the car? The Court of Owls had been taken care of. All of the Strige family except for Nara Strige was in jail. While Damian was examining the feather, a small object was tossed in his direction. It burst open on impact and spewed out a noxious yellow gas. Damian collapsed on the ground, dropping his bat tracker. It rolled under Dick's car. A figure in black crouched down beside the unconscious 11-year-old.

"That knock out gas that Napier gave me did the trick. I don't know who you are kid, but you're a little too curious for your own good. Looks like Wayne's heir will have some company. I've waited a long time for this."

The figure dressed in black carried Damian to a nearby waiting van. The figure opened the back doors and dropped Damian onto the floor and tied his hands with a zip tie. The figure in black smirked at the other prone figure. It was Dick. There was a gash on his forehead, the blood having trickled down the side of his face. His hands and feet were also tied with zip ties.

"Don't know who your little friend is or why he's sniffing around your car. He'll be taken care of later. You gave me quite a chase there, Dickie Boy. I'm glad I recognized you. Saved me the trouble of going out to Wayne Manor and looking you up. Liked my little dart? Courtesy of E. Nigma. You never know who you're going to meet in prison."

The figure in black scanned the unconscious Dick Grayson somewhat lustfully. "Looks like you've grown nicely. We'll just have to see how nicely under what you're wearing. I'm sure your Daddy won't mind if I get a little peek along with a couple of friends of mine. Learned a few things while I was in prison. Can't wait to show you, if your so-called rich father doesn't pay up for your return. Of course you're going to need to be punished for your part in sending me up the river. Never did pay you back for my father either. Looks like I'll get that chance, and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it."

The figure in black slammed the van door closed then climbed into the driver's seat and sped away.

Continues with Part 6


	6. Chapter 6

My Father's Eyes Are Blue

By

AJ

Part 6

As Batman was leaving the cave to look for both Dick and Damian, Bruce didn't know his sons were beyond his reach. Using his bat tracker, Batman located Damian's signal as well as Dick's car. Once he arrived, he discovered the same things that Damian had earlier, the single feather resting on the seat, the small trace of blood, and Dick's keys on the ground. Damian's bat tracker was the only thing that was new and Batman found that under Dick's car. Batman did a more thorough search and found a tranquilizer dart in between the seat and the door. It was the same kind of dart that was used when the Riddler kidnapped Robin when he was 15. Examining the door again, Batman found traces of skin as well as the blood. Dick must have hit his head when the dart hit him.

Batman also found the remains of the small gas pellet. And since Damian's bat tracker was under Dick's car that meant that Damian had been taken as well. It must have fallen there when Damian collapsed. The kidnapper must have waited around to see who would show up. They didn't expect a kid. Whoever did this was after Dick Grayson for certain, but they might have taken Damian without knowing who he was, which was better for them if they didn't. If they knew Damian was also Bruce Wayne's son, both boys would be in deeper trouble than they already were. Batman looked for any traces of another vehicle that might have been in the area, but he found none. Right now, there was nothing that Batman could do other than try to search the traffic cameras and see if something was recorded and when. That was going to prove difficult since there were no cameras near the park. Somewhere there had to be evidence that showed Dick's car and whoever might have followed him to this isolated spot and took him . . . 'Amend . . . took them,' Batman thought with a growl.

While Batman was trying to form a hypothesis on why Dick and Damian had been taken, the batmobile's phone started to buzz.

"Batman here,"

"Master Bruce."

"Alfred?"

"You must come home."

"Alfred, what is it?"

"I cannot tell you over the phone. It's imperative that you come home at once."

"All right, I'll be there."

Batman returned to the cave to find Alfred waiting for him.

"This came for you, Sir. It's for Bruce Wayne and your eyes only."

"When did it arrive?"

"Not more than ten minutes after you left. It arrived by messenger."

Batman placed the DVD in the DVR slot in the bat computer and the clip started at once.

Something clattered on the floor and Batman realized Alfred had dropped the tray he had been carrying. He turned to see that the older man had gone pale.

Batman turned back to the image and his eyes became narrow and hard as he recognized the person on the image. Batman could see Dick hanging in the center of the frame. His wrists were tied and held above his head. His legs were also tied. He also appeared drugged and there was a gash on his forehead. Batman could make out Damian lying the floor on his side up against the back wall, his hands bound behind him. The room they were in had a concrete floor and particle board walls. There was a single door and no windows. Dick had to be illuminated by some kind of electric light off camera.

"Hello Mr. Wayne," a voice off camera started speaking. "I see Dickie Boy has grown up quite nicely. I know you will recognize my voice, but I'd rather not show my face. Not yet. I rather you take in the full impact of this moment, to know that I have your former ward. Can't call him that since well, he is a full-grown man. Well, to get back to why I've taken Dickie Boy here. You know, you sent me away for a very long time, to Black Gate Prison. So, how long has it been, about nine years? I was put in solitary because of you, but that didn't stop others from getting at me. Funny, seems a lot of guys think abusing a kid should have a penalty far stiffer than what the courts gave me. So, they made sure I paid dearly, every day. Even so, all I thought about was taking my revenge. So, here it is in a nutshell. You're going to watch me torture my hostages, starting with Dickie Boy and the other one will get to watch. Call it an object lesson. Children should not be out late at night, don't you think? Of course, this is only a recording. The next time you see your ward it will be live. And I won't be alone. Don't bother sending Batman. If I get wind that he's anywhere near the area, wherever that may be, one of the hostages will die, but you won't know until the body is dumped on your doorstep. Oh, by the way. It's going out on the net sooner than you think and it will be untraceable. My friends should be arriving soon then we can start this party."

The DVD went dark.

"Was that also Master Damian that I saw?"

"Yes, Alfred."

"Were you able to trace it?"

"No," Batman said. "Because it's a recording, they probably moved their location by now. It would be futile. Besides, there isn't enough detail for me to even begin to figure out their location, not even background noise."

"Did you recognize the man's voice, Sir?"

"Yes, it would seem Matthew 'Madness' Malone is back in town and he has both my sons."

Continues with Part 7


	7. Chapter 7

My Father's Eyes Are Blue

By

AJ

Part 7

"Wakey, wakey, Dickie. It's time for the party."

"DON'T TOUCH HIM!" Damian yelled.

"And who are you to him pip squeak?" Matthew Malone questioned.

"I'M HIS . . ."

"No, don't," Dick said groggily, trying to keep Damian safe. If Malone found out . . . "He's just a kid. Let him go."

"You are in no position to make demands, Dickie Boy," Matthew stated. He lifted a large syringe into Dick Grayson's line of site. "You remember this?"

Dick's eyes became wide, the fear toxin. "You can't scare me with that. I'm no longer a teenager." Malone didn't know about the Electrum in Dick's system. It was possible with the Eletrum in his system the fear toxin might not even work. His body had more of the Electrum in it than it did when he was a kid.

"Oh, this toxin isn't exactly like the one Scarecrow whipped up nine years ago. It's been improved. Though it does have some of old Strawbag's mix, it has a few extra ingredients, ones that I think you will find quite addictive."

"NO!" Dick tried to struggle, but it was no use. With him hanging and his hands and feet zip tied he had no way to avoid the syringe. Dick felt the sting of the needle and the toxin entering his system. It wasn't long before the hallucinations and the nightmare images were assaulting his mind. He recognized them from before, but a few new ones were added from his more recent memories, the owls once again assaulted his senses. He found himself back in that labyrinth this time, fighting every owl trying to rip him with razor sharp talons. "AHHHHHH," Dick cried out, even though the talons weren't real. It seemed he was wrong about the toxin not working.

"FIGHT IT! YOU HAVE TO!" Damian cried out.

"That's enough from you," Matthew Malone slapped Damian across the face.

Damian tried to kick out, but he didn't have the leverage or position to make his kick be effective. At that moment, there was a knock on a door hidden in the shadows.

"Enter," Malone called, and he glanced over to see whom it was that knocked. He nodded as he recognized the two men. "Welcome Carson, Jasper."

"We got your message. Nice place you got here, Malone," one of the two men said.

"Less likely that it will be raided. No neighbors to complain. There are enough of them and we're far enough from the main office so no one will hear a thing. And the only access is through the corridor and that door."

"We heard you had something good for us," the other said. They were former cohorts from Black Gate Prison.

"Right this way. I like you to meet an old friend of mine." Malone slapped Dick Grayson on the shoulder causing the young man to flinch away from the touch. "I think you'll both like what I have in store. I have a couple of really nice live ones, the kind that will even fight back."

Jasper let his eyes roam up and down the young man who was tied. "He looks really tight underneath all of that clothing. Can't wait to see how tight."

"I like the little one over there," Carson said. "He looks fresh for picking."

"Go ahead. You can take the kid out of here," Malone said. "There's another room set aside across the hall. You can deal with him as you please. We'll set up a special feature on him."

Malone watched as Carson carried a struggling Damian out of the room.

"UNHAND ME YOU FILTH! YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOU'RE DEALING WITH!"

"SHAD UP KID!"

"Jasper, help me with our young god here. Make him spread eagle and bend him slightly forward. We need to make certain he's ready to meet his public."

"Sure thing, I like it when they struggle. Haven't had something this nice since prison."

"You won't get him until I'm finished with making my demands," Malone stated.

Malone and Jasper grabbed Dick's arms after cutting him free. Dick struggled in both men's arms, his mind fighting the drug as well as the images that assaulted his brain. "No! No! Get away from me!" He threw a punch that nearly connected with Jasper's jaw.

"Man this guy is strong," Jasper said.

Malone struck Dick across the face. "He likes it rough," Malone lied. It was enough to stun Dick for a moment, but he quickly rallied as Jasper grabbed Dick by the waist and lifted him off the floor. Dick used the momentum to flip backward and grabbing Jasper by his shoulders, Dick twisted around and almost managed to throw Jasper across the room. While Dick was distracted with Jasper Matthew grabbed one of Dick's arms and looped a zip tie around it then locked it in place around a chain dangling from the ceiling. Dick tried to throw a punch with his other hand, but it was ineffective. Malone grabbed Dick's other arm and secured it to a second chain.

"Secure his legs," Malone said.

Dick grasped the chains and as Jasper moved in to secure his legs, Dick kicked out and caused Jasper to fly across the room and crash into the wall. Malone struck Dick across the face. "You're going to pay dearly for that."

"Don't bother Malone, I like it when they fight back."

"He needs a lesson in manners!" Malone sneered and pulled out a knife. "You do that one more time, and your little friend will have his throat cut. Now, you're going to cooperate or I'll do more than just what I have planned." Malone pressed the knife against Dick's groin area. "I don't want to spoil the goods."

Dick froze, his chest heaving with the exertion and understanding Malone's meaning all too well. Malone and Jasper each secured one of Dick's legs to each of the U-shaped hooks embedded into the floor.

"That's better. Of course I hope we haven't taken all the fight out of him. He won't be able to get out of that so easily. I've been waiting for this a long time. All the better for his former guardian to get an eye full, wouldn't you say?"

"What's all this about his guardian getting an eye full? Who's his guardian?"

"Bruce Wayne."

"The Bruce Wayne? The one that sent you up the river?"

"I've been waiting nine years for this," Malone said. "Hook up the WiFi."

"You going to put this on the Internet?"

"Of course. Found the perfect site for it too. Virtually untraceable. It's going to be show time soon. Oh, I've provided you with a mask to wear. Might as well make this a mascaraed ball while we're at it. Once we've got everything all lined up, we'll begin our little fun fest, starting with a little striptease."

"Oh good. I always like stripping them," Jasper said.

"That's part of my revenge. And every one will get an eye full. Wayne's ward will be making his debut. It will become the biggest scandal since . . . Well, you know. Everybody loves a juicy scandal. And what's funny, everyone who sees this won't realize the final act that I am planning until it's too late."

Matthew Malone lifted up the knife that he used to threatened Dick Grayson. "You see, by the time we get done with him, he'll be begging to be put out of his misery. And Mr. Wayne will only be able to watch as Dickie Boy slowly bleeds to death."

Continues with Part 8


	8. Chapter 8

My Father's Eyes Are Blue

By

AJ

Part 8

"Is there nothing that can be done, Master Bruce?"

Batman removed his cowl, becoming Bruce Wayne again. The look of worry was etched into the man's face. The cowl at least gave him some semblance of control over what he was feeling. Without it, his emotions came crashing in like a thunderstorm. He started this ride 14 years ago, and he was still on it. Why he chose it, he sometimes questioned, but he just had to look at the faces of his sons and his own world before them, and he knew, to bring a little light into his dark world, but that wasn't always easy. And right now, that light was threatening to be snuffed out, and there was nothing he could do.

"Not at the moment," Bruce said rubbing the exhaustion out of his eyes.

"Bruce, what's happened? Have you been down here all night? I thought Batman was through for the night after we returned from rescuing Dick."

Bruce didn't know how to break more bad news right on the heals of the previous incident, but telling the truth was all he knew how to do. And Tim had a right to know. "Damian and Dick have been kidnapped."

"What? How?" Tim Drake exclaimed. "Why didn't you call me."

"There was no reason for both of us to be here all night."

"How did it happen?" Tim asked, this time requesting a more detailed account.

"Apparently, Damian went to talk to Dick. He had a question about Dick's parentage."

"I've often wondered that myself. But what does this have to do with Damian and Dick getting kidnapped?"

"I am getting to that," Bruce answered. "After Damian spoke with Dick, he came down here angry with me. Dick must have come after him and overheard me talking with Damian. Apparently, something that Damian said upset him. I reasoned with Damian and he was going to apologize to Dick . . ." Bruce waved a hand toward Alfred who knew the rest.

"Apparently Master Richard left on his own accord," Alfred said. "Damian went after him, blaming himself for Master Richard leaving. He ran away, hoping to find him."

"I can only surmise that someone got the drop on both of them. He sent this." Bruce replayed the DVD for Tim. He watched Tim's reaction.

"Who is this guy?" Tim questioned.

"His name is Matthew Malone. He was once an aspiring attorney, but he didn't get very far with it. Every law firm in Gotham City refused his application."

"Why and why is he doing this to Dick?"

"I can only tell you what I know from past experience," Bruce stated.

"Past experience?" Tim questioned.

"Nine years ago, he proceeded to frame Dick to get him kicked out of high school. Dick tried to prove his innocence and was taken by Malone."

"Why would he do something like that?"

"Because Matthew Malone is the son of the late Tony Zucco."

"Late? Tony Zucco? Should I know him?"

"He had Dick's parents killed by sabotaging . . . "

Tim's eyes went wide ". . . Their trapeze. So, that's what happened. I remember I saw them killed, I was three. I had nightmares for weeks."

Bruce explained. "And I remember how you came to be a part of this and part of our family later. Anyway, Dick testified at Zucco's trial. Zucco died in prison and Matthew Malone thought he could regain his father's empire by kidnapping Dick. To familiarize yourself with the case, you need to read this," Bruce put up on the computer screen a folder with the name _Broken Trust_. The folder had a lock on it. Bruce entered a 27-digit password to unlock the folder.

"Why such an unusual title?"

"It was supposed to be a reminder for myself, unfortunately, I nearly forgot that when everything happened with the Court of Owls."

"Reminder for what?" Tim asked.

"Trusting in my partner's character," Bruce stated remembering. Dick had been right. 'I had lost a lot of trust. I nearly blew it a second time, and I signed that vow that I made in front of him nine years ago.' Bruce placed the paper in a safe deposit box at the Wayne Foundation for safe keeping along with his will. He should have kept it here as a reminder. 'Dick, I don't know why you continue to trust me when lately I've . . .'

Bruce moved aside so Tim could read what was in the folder. "I want you to read everything you can on Matthew Malone. It will give us a clue on where he might be found and where he might be holding Dick and Damian. I'm going to the Medical Bay for a moment." Bruce said as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. He could feel the headache forming just behind his eyes. He knew it was from exhaustion, but he could not allow that to interfere in what he had to do to get his sons back. He could hear Tim typing away on the keyboard, trying to search for recent information on Malone.

"BRUCE!" Tim shouted. "You've got to see this."

"What is it?"

"I did a search on Matthew Malone in the police files and this popped up on the Internet."

"GREAT SCOTT!" Bruce exclaimed. "Where did you find that?"

"Oddly enough, it's a live feed. It's going through some porn site."

Bruce and Tim could see Dick Grayson illuminated by a strong light off camera. His hands and feet were bound and he was hanging off the floor.

"Hello everyone," A familiar voice from the past could be heard in the background. "We have a treat for you. A live performance actually, of Bruce Wayne's ex-ward doing what most young men dream of doing with him. Of course, Bruce isn't here. So we have a stand-in for him."

A man in a mask stepped into view. The mask covered half the man's face. The man grinned leeringly and stroked Dick's chest.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Dick screamed.

Bruce watched as Dick struggled to get away from the man's touch, but the bonds were too ridged and did not allow much movement. He couldn't even move his legs.

Then the masked man grabbed Dick's shirt and slowly started to rip it from his body.

"NO! GET YOUR TALONS OFF ME!"

"Well, look at that. Have you seen such a well-developed heavenly body in your life? Such a handsome young man. Though I think Dickie Boy needs a little something to blow his mind." Malone brought out the syringe filled with toxin and injected it into Dick's arm. "That's better. Can't have him going without his hourly dose now, can we? Makes it all the more exciting."

Bruce watched in dismay as Dick continued to struggle against the chains and the plastic ties that held him.

"Let's get a closer look at our guest star."

The camera zoomed in on Dick Grayson, showing all the twisted fear and rage that he was being subjected to.

Bruce could see the horror that was on his son's face as the hallucinations that were caused by the toxin were trying to take hold. The drug induced nightmare made it all the more heart wrenching to watch. Bruce wanted to comfort his son, but he couldn't.

As the camera zoomed out, the scene became more horrific. Bruce's eyes narrowed when he saw the masked man touch and caress his son in ways that would make a grown man blush. He could see Dick shudder at the masked man's touch and he tried to pull away.

"TRACE THAT MAC ADDRESS!" Bruce demanded. "I want to know where that live feed is coming from."

Not only that, Bruce could see comments being posted, hundreds of comments from MALE viewers. And all of them were asking to see more. As far as the viewers were concerned, they thought it was some kind of peep show.

Bruce's face paled. The man wouldn't . . . but it was obvious that the other man caressing his son would. A sick feeling entered the pit of his stomach. Then rage filled him. Matthew Malone was nothing more than a sick madman and had gotten worse since his imprisonment.

"Oh, if you happen to see this Mr. Wayne, don't bother having Batman trace this machine's address. You won't be able to. The next time you see Dickie boy it will be in all his glory, maybe even taking it for the boys, then you will give me all of Wayne Enterprises just so it will stop. Yes, I did say ALL of Wayne Enterprises. Controlling interest isn't enough. And if you refuse, the next time you see Dickie Bird . . . well let's just say he'll be one naughty boy, caught with his pants down. Tune in if you want to know where to deliver the papers, and they better be legal. You'll only have a few hours this time."

The screen went dark.

"Did you get the trace?"

"No, it cut off just before," Tim stated. "It was being routed through hundreds of other sites and servers. If I had just five more minutes I would have had him. He didn't say how you were to deliver his demands?"

"He'll contact us again," Bruce said.

"He also didn't mention Damian. And he wasn't in the room either. You don't think he . . ."

"Don't even voice it. At lease he wasn't in the room watching that disgusting display. We'll get both of them back. I want those images analyzed. I want to know where they are. And I want to know if there's any background noise."

"Background noise?" Tim questioned.

"When Dick was Robin, he was kidnapped by the Riddler. Commissioner Gordon traced the call that the Riddler made. From that traced call I was able to discover where Robin was being held from the background noise. If Dick and Damian are being held where there is some kind of background noise, we'll know. Once that noise is analyzed, we'll find them." Bruce said. 'For both their sakes.'

Continues with Part 9


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: This is a shorter chapter than the others. Seems Damian didn't need it to be long for it to be poignant.

/

My Father's Eyes Are Blue

By

AJ

Part 9

"UNHAND ME!" Damian screamed.

"Sure thing, pip squeak."

Damian was thrown into another room like the one he and Dick woke up in. He fell hard on the concrete floor. He recognized the place the man had taken him. It was some non-descript long-term storage place with dozens of lockers, either ones with a garage-like door or a standard entrance. Where in Gotham City Damian didn't know since he also had been unconscious when he had been brought to this place with his brother. The white van that Damian saw that was near Dick's car must have contained the perp, and Dick's unconscious form. Now that he was awake, Damian could concentrate on memorizing every detail. And right now, he was being thrown into a windowless storage compartment with nothing but a single lamp and a bed. The compartment Damian surmised was probably being used for other purposes that Batman would have to later investigate. How Malone got a hold of the storage units was a question that would have to be answered once they were rescued, if Batman even knew where they could be found.

Damian scrambled up off the floor quicker then Carson expected. Though his hands were tied Malone neglected to tie his feet. Malone probably didn't think he was any kind of a threat, just some kid that happened to come across Dick Grayson's car, which was Malone's big mistake. The fact that he wasn't being viewed as much of a threat put Damian at an advantage. And at least he was on his feet.

Carson stepped into the compartment, closed the door, and locked them in.

"Now we're alone. Don't make this hard kid. You might even enjoy it."

"If my grandfather were here, he'd see that you were castrated." Damian chose the right words to say. If they knew he was Dick's brother and a Wayne, they might try to ransom him as well.

"And who's your grandfather?"

"Ra's al Ghul," Damian replied, squaring his shoulders, and standing as straight as he was able.

Carson's eyes grew wide and Damian could see that his words had a profound effect on the man.

"You can't be," Carson said. "That man's a . . . a . . ."

"An assassin?" Damian finished. "He's the leader of the League of Shadows, and if he finds out what you were planning on doing to me, he'll not only castrate you, he will ram your testicles down your throat and feed you to the jackals. NOW CUT ME LOOSE!"

Carson pulled out a penknife and cut the zip tie from around Damian's hands. He heard about Ra's al Ghul and what he would do to men that displeased him. And messing with Ra's al Ghul's grandson was a warrant for a death sentence. As soon as Damian was free, he struck, hitting the man across the jaw with as much force as he could muster, knocking the man out.

"Pitiful, a glass jaw." Plus, his bluff worked. He didn't expect the man to really know about his grandfather. That had been a stroke of luck. Even so, he had to pause and wonder what he would have done if the man hadn't known who Ra's al Ghul was. He shuddered at the thought then shook it off. Better to take advantage while he still had the chance.

Damian searched the unconscious man and found a couple more zip ties in the man's pocket. He noticed that the bed was one with posts, and he shuttered at what the man really wanted to do to him. Well, he wasn't going to get that chance. Damian took the zip ties and bound Carson's feet and hands. Then he quietly left the storage unit to search for Dick Grayson.

Damian heard voices and followed the sound. He reached another storage compartment not far from where he had been, the one that Carson had carried him out of. He peaked inside and saw what was going on. He saw Dick had been stripped to the waste and Jasper was caressing Dick's body in a very suggestive way. Damian had to swallow the bile that he felt raising to his throat. There wasn't any way he could take on these two men without Dick getting hurt. He had to get help and fast before Dick got the worst of it. He knew exactly where he had to go. He had to first grab his backpack, which luckily was right near the door.

With as little sound as possible, Damian picked up his backpack and silently left the storage unit. Before making his way outside he did one thing. He pulled out of his backpack a bat-shaped sticker and placed one on each door. He kept a few for emergencies. He then headed down the corridor and out into the open air. He noticed the name of the storage company and its address. He then climbed up on the roof and tried to get the lay of the land. It was then he realized exactly where he was. There was a safe house just three blocks from the storage company.

If he could get there and contact Bruce, they were on their way to being home free. He just hoped that Father would get there in time.

'Don't worry, Dick,' Damian thought. 'Help will soon be on the way. This is my fault and I intend to make it right.'

Continues with Part 10


	10. Chapter 10

My Father's Eyes Are Blue

By

AJ

Part 10

"I heard something moving around," Matthew Malone stated as soon as he stopped his little program. "I'll be right back."

Malone left the storage compartment and caught out of the corner of his eye a small form turning the corner. Malone noticed an open doorway and light pouring into the corridor across the way. He moved to investigate and discovered a sight that caused him swear.

'S**T!' Malone moved back to the other storage unit and went inside. "We've got to pack up. The kid's escaped."

"What about Carson?"

"The kid managed to knock him out and tied him up. He's useless. Leave him."

Malone grabbed the syringe and injected another dose of the toxin into Dick's arm, even though it wasn't time. "That should hold him for a while. Zip tie his feet first then his hands. I have a place where we can move him. Haven't been there for years, but no one would think to even look for us there. Bring that box. We're going to need it."

"No . . . no, no, no, no," Dick's head was shaking and his movements were weak and ineffective. He couldn't understand why he was reacting to the toxin the way he was. He thought the electrum would cleanse the drug from his system, giving him a fighting chance. 'Probably works more on physical wounds than this stuff.'

This time, twisted images of his family haunted and torture him. He saw Damian being sliced to ribbons by the very swords he had been trained with to become an assassin. Dick almost laughed out loud when he saw Tim being attacked by giant computer screens with arms and legs, but then watched in horror as Tim was swallowed up by the very things that made Red Robin a great detective. The image of Jason was nothing more than going through a firing squad, over and other, his body riddled with bullets, and bleeding from countless wounds. The hardest to watch was Bruce. The very things that helped Batman in his fight were killing him. Several batarangs were sticking out of his body, and the batrope was being used to strangle him. Once again, he saw his parents as their trapeze broke and they fell into darkness calling his name.

"I hope you're having quite a ride, Dickie boy," Malone whispered in Dick's ear as he unchained each hand. As Dick was released his legs collapsed from under him, which made it easier for Malone and Jasper to zip tie his hands. "It won't compare to the one you'll be getting next." Malone threw Dick over his shoulder and carried him to the white van that waited outside. "Gather the camera equipment. Leave the laptop. I've got another one in the van. Hook up the other stuff and start it. I know that brat's going to alert the authorities and then they'll alert Batman. They'll get a warm welcome when they get here. Once we get to the next hideout, we'll show Mr. Wayne what happens when there's interference."

"Do I get to play with our friend?" Jasper said seductively.

"Of course, but not too roughly. You have your whip handy? I know how much you like to use it."

"You know I do."

"Well, this bird is going to need to be punished. We can't punish his little companion for escaping, but Dickie boy will do just nicely. He'll be punished enough for two."

Dick felt the movement of the van pull away. His stomach almost rebelled, but he kept the bile down. Despite the nightmare images that assaulted his mind, he was still aware of the two men that held him captive. He recalled when the man called Jasper tore his shirt off and started rubbing his chest and then came close to . . . Dick shuttered with revulsion and almost vomited a second time. He forced his eyes open to look for his brother and discovered . . . 'Damian . . . he's . . . he's not here. He . . . escaped? Good . . . good for you . . . Dami.' Dick could no longer keep his mind in the present. Rather then face the nightmares he let the darkness swallow him.

/

Matthew Malone and Jasper entered an old abandoned house, one that Malone knew very well. Malone and his mother used to live here when he was growing up. They abandoned the house when Dick Grayson figured it out that it was he that framed him for cheating. Then they got the idea to hold Wayne's ward for ransom in order so he could get back his father's empire. Those memories were bitter sweet, but it gave him such a thrill. And being in prison only strengthened his resolve to get back at Wayne and Dickie Boy for the death of his father, but this time, Dickie Boy was going to suffer even more. He'll enjoy watching it too, and maybe even taking a turn with him. The boy's body was that of an Olympic athlete, shapely and muscular, eye candy for anyone who could appreciate such beauty.

'I wonder Dickie Boy. How did you get so well developed?' Malone couldn't help himself from stroking Dick's well-defined muscles. 'Seems I asked the circus that question once before. Never got an answer. I bet he's got well-developed legs, too underneath those tight jeans. And that nice tight rear, I bet it would feel real fine. Can't let Jasper have all the fun. Maybe I'll just hang onto Grayson even if Wayne does give me his fortune. That should guarantee Wayne doesn't try to take everything back.'

It wasn't long until Dick was coming to again and he blanched when he recognized where he was. He examined his situation and realized he had been trussed up in some kind of harness in the basement of Prudence Malone's old house. There was a video camera set up and another computer. He could hear voices coming from upstairs.

"You know what to do, strip him slowly," Malone said. "I know you can use that whip like a surgeon uses a scalpel. And if you miss a couple of times . . . "

"Don't worry, I'll see to it he gets what he deserves. Of course I wouldn't want to take too much of the fight out of him. I like it better when they struggle."

NO! Dick looked around and realized just what kind of restraint they had him in. Though he would never put something like this into practice himself, he respected his lady friends far more to subject them to that. Even his male friends if he was even into that sort of thing. He wasn't, but the idea still appalled him. He realized just what they were planning and that they were going to take him by force. He had to keep his head and get loose despite the fact that his head was still spinning from the last round of hallucinations. It was the only way he was going to help himself. Dick struggled to find a way to loosen the bonds, even to find a way to turn his body so he could get at the restraints with his hands, but there wasn't enough time, and the restraints were just too far apart for him to reach. He turned and his face visibly paled when he heard heavy footsteps coming down the stairs.

Continues with Part 11


	11. Chapter 11

My Father's Eyes Are Blue

By

AJ

Part 11

Damian raced across the rooftops, not slowing until he reached the small five-story building that contained the safe house. He found the entryway in the blind alley to the fifth floor and entered as silently as he dared. The building primarily was unoccupied except for the main floor and that contained several businesses. Those businesses were closed and would not be opening until 9:00 am.

Damian climbed in the window and shut it, blocking out the light of the dawn that was approaching. Every window on this level had some kind of paint on it to hide its true purpose. When the lights were turned on, from the outside, it gave the impression that the place was filled with office workers or apartments. A skilled artist, one that specialized in 3D, did the paintings. Once inside, Damian headed straight for the batphone extension. It was the only means of communication. There was no computer at this safe house because of its location. The bat signal from police headquarters could be seen through the specially painted windows. Any other means of communication had to be brought in. This safe house was just that, a place to be used for emergencies and Damian faced a dire emergency. Knowing what he was up against, Damian lifted the receiver and pressed the button.

/

"What's that?" Tim questioned. He never heard that particular beeping before.

"The batphone. That phone hadn't been used in years," Bruce said. Bruce grabbed the phone oddly enough, expecting to hear the voice of Commissioner Gordon. "Batman here."

"FATHER!"

"Damian? Where are you?"

"In one of the safe houses in East Gotham."

"Which one?"

Damian explained that he was near Woodmont Avenue and Cedar Lane, and about the storage warehouse three blocks away. "Some guy has Grayson. In fact, two other guys showed up. They . . . they're planning on . . ." Damian swallowed not being able to even voice the words. How he knew was because Carson wanted to do exactly the same thing to him. Luckily, Carson didn't get that chance. Still, it was a wonder how he didn't get sick until now. 'Maybe because in the heat of the moment, I was able to control what I was feeling,' he thought. "I marked the spot with some bat stickers I had in my back pack. Please, Father. You've got to hurry."

"We'll be right there, Damian," Bruce said then hung up the batphone.

"I don't even remember hearing that phone go off, even when I was Robin," Tim stated.

"We went to other methods of communication," Bruce said, "But I'm glad for once that I didn't disconnect that phone. Better suit up Red Robin. And bring Damian's uniform. He's going to need it."

"It's during the day," Tim exclaimed. "We never go out during the day."

"Remember the owls," Batman explained.

"Oh yeah," Tim remembered. That was just forty-eight hours ago. How could he forget so quickly? 'Damn, Dick seems to be getting himself into a lot of trouble lately. I think we all need a vacation after this. I'd settle just for a simple night of patrol where all I'd be facing would be someone spitting on the sidewalk.'

Red Robin moved toward his motorcycle after placing Damian Wayne's Robin uniform on the floor of the batmobile.

"I'm not taking the batmobile," Batman stated. "The traffic this time of day will be horrendous. I'll be taking the subway car."

"There isn't a subway station near there," Tim indicated. "I checked. That particular safe house is on the outskirts of East Gotham, near the bridge leading to Arkham Island."

"But the Narrows subway station is, and it will save a lot more time."

"That's still ten blocks away. And it's above ground," Tim reminded him.

"You're right. And they recently just finished rebuilding that part." Rather then continue the argument, Batman climbed in the batmobile and took off. It was becoming a waste of precious time. Batman hit a switch on the dashboard, putting the vehicle in stealth mode. At least Matthew Malone wouldn't hear them coming, but a sinking feeling came over him, and Bruce suspected that Malone would be long gone by the time they got there. Batman tapped the com-link to connect with Red Robin's com-link in his helmet.

"Red Robin, wait a moment." Both stopped briefly along the highway leading to Gotham. Batman waved Red Robin over to the driver's side and handed him the bundle that was Robin's uniform. "You head for the safe house and get Damian ready then meet me at the following address." Batman produced a small card from the portable batcomputer remotely attached to the batcave.

Red Robin read the address. "This house is located near Branch Road and Oakwood Avenue, near the cemetery, almost half way across town. What makes you think Malone will go there?"

"Trust me, I know he will be," Batman growled. "Just get Damian. I'll meet you there." Knowing Malone, Bruce had a feeling that's where he was going. He knew the house had never been sold or rented since that day, the day that Dick had been taken when he was 15 years old. And Bruce somehow knew that Malone knew it, too.

/

Dick's face paled as he heard heavy footsteps on the stairs. There wasn't time for him to work his way out of the harness.

"Malone, you sick bastard, what have you done with the kid?" Dick spat out the question.

"What's the kid to you?" Malone asked, grabbing Dick by the chin.

Dick tried to pull away, "He's . . . he's just a kid I know."

"So you do know him. I wondered about that when he called out your name. Don't worry. Carson will take good care of him," Malone sneered. "You on the other hand . . ." Malone turned toward Jasper. "Is the Wi-Fi set up?"

"It's ready to go, Mr. Madness."

Dick's eyes narrowed. How could he have Wi-Fi here? The house had remained empty ever since . . .

"I see the questioning look on your face Dickie Bird. You see it wasn't hard to keep everything running in this place. I'm a lawyer remember? It wasn't hard to persuade certain companies that this place was being used for a special group home and that social services checks the home every month. So, they needed to keep the utilities on. I had someone pay the utilities, someone who kept a portion of my father's accounts for me. Of course, there really wasn't any group home . . . "

". . .That's fraud," Dick exclaimed.

"Oh you're right," Malone said. "But with someone like me, it really doesn't matter. It's show time Dickie Bird. Got to give the public what it wants. Jasper, give our young friend here another shot. I can't understand why that toxin isn't working so well. You should be screaming for more by now."

Dick once again felt the sting of the needle and the toxin flowing through his system. Dick fought the drug trying to will the electrum to clear his system. He succeeded only partially. The one thing he did notice, he wasn't craving the drug. He wasn't going to tell Malone that. The hallucinations were bad enough to deal with. He didn't need a drug addition, too.

"Pay attention Dickie Boy," Malone slapped him across the face. "We're going to be playing another little game. It's called blind man's _buff_. Of course this one is different. You'll find out what that is when we're through stripping you down. Of course we won't be using our hands. Have to give the people a show you know."

After being drugged Malone shoved a piece of cloth in Dick's mouth and covered his eyes. With him being blindfolded the images assaulting his mind became more frightening and intense. Dick bucked, trying to work to give his arms the slack they needed to try to free himself, but with his feet hanging in the air as well, there was nothing he could do.

"That's it Dickie Boy, fight. All the more fun for us!"

Dick suddenly felt the sting of the lash as it ripped through his jeans. A few times the whip cracked against his back leaving bloody welts. His jeans got the worst of it. His arms and his back were rarely spared. Tears streamed down his face as silent sobs racked his body.

"Are you watching Mr. Wayne?" Malone stated. "I haven't heard from you. You need to send the papers to the following address." Malone lifted up a card. "And yes, it is an overseas address. Now, with all the comments I received, I can't disappoint my viewers. I promised them a little treat. And since you asked for it, as soon as the last of his attire is removed, Dickie Bird will be getting it in the end."

Dick felt the rest of his shredded jeans being ripped from his body. If he wasn't feeling the terror before, he was now.

Continues with Part 12


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N: Beware: This Chapter is rated T+ to M. If you are disturbed by this scroll down to the RESCUE portion where Batman CRASHES the party! Recommend that you be at least 18 to read. You read at your own risk. You have been warned. This part was not easy to write, but my muse seemed to be determined to stretch this out and make it as horrific as possible.  
**_

My Father's Eyes Are Blue

By

AJ

Part 12

Terror! Anguish! Pain! Shame! He never experienced anything like what he was experiencing at that moment, and he hoped he would never experience it again. How could this happen? At first Dick Grayson thought it was part of the hallucinations. Since they moved him and having been cruelly struck with a whip, Dick had been injected at least three more times with the fear toxin, the images becoming more intense and so realistic it was hard to distinguish reality from illusion. The last images were of lustfully leering faces and groping hands, stroking his body in places that Dick knew were a violation alone.

Then he realized that there were rough hands stroking him exactly as they were in his hallucinations. No. Malone wasn't really . . . God no! Malone was the one person in Dick's life he feared the most, ever since that horrendous moment in time when Malone got the drop on him . . . at Prudence Malone's house. He was 15 and he and Bruce were nearly torn apart from Malone's scheme. Malone hadn't done anything back then . . . but now, Dick realized that prison changed the man, changed him for the worst, turning him into . . . He'd dare not say it. And now, with Dick's mouth gagged and his eyes blindfolded, and the fear toxin running through his system, his mind was rebelling from the reality of it all. In his mind he knew exactly what it was, because he felt it, felt the cruelty and the brutality of it all.

This . . . this . . . rape had to be the worst. For that's what it was total and utter rape. He felt . . . his flesh being torn . . . and Jasper's hands probing . . . his legs being parted further . . . being split . . . Now Malone's mouth . . . His own body responding. NO! NO! It was just WRONG! He kicked and bucked, but he couldn't stop it! If the tears streaming down Dick's face with the lashing he receive were evident of his pain and terror, the tears that came down now ere harder and faster. Silent sobs racked his body as he struggled against the inevitable, but it was futile. His body started shaking, violently. One would have been bad enough, but both? It was humiliation beyond what his mind could comprehend. His mind was in utter turmoil, his spirit suddenly shattered.

Dick thought about the times when he was Robin and when Bruce left him behind on certain cases, and realized it was because of this. It was not because he didn't have the skill to fight, Bruce feared that someone like Jasper and now Malone might get a hold of him . . . Bruce had been right.

'BRUCE! DAD! FORGIVE ME FOR EVER QUESTIONING YOU! PLEASE! MAKE THEM STOP! MAKE THEM STOP!' Dick screamed in his mind, being reduced to nothing more than a quivering frightened boy in his mind, wanting to hide. How could this happen, how did this happen?

"HAHAHAHAHAH," Jasper laughed relishing in the ecstasy that he felt. "Oh he is so . . . perfect Malone. You've got to try it. And with him struggling it makes it even better!"

"Narrrrrr!" Dick tried to growl through the gag, but it sounded more like a strangled sob, raging as the tears continued to fall unbidden and he continued to struggle, fighting against the restraints without any success.

"My turn," Malone said in Dick's ear. "Now you'll really know what a true man feels like."

Dick felt Malone ram him from behind . . . the pain worse than before.

"Oh Jasper, you are so right. It's like candy!" Malone leaned in over Dick and whispered in his ear. "You're mine, now Dickie Boy. You're guardian be damned. He's not getting you back even if he does pay. I had planned on killing you after this for the death of my father, but I've changed my mind. Once I get Wayne's fortune, you'll be coming with me. We'll do this every night . . . For the rest of your miserable life."

'NOOO!'

CRASH!

"NO! You won't stop me. He's mine!" Malone tightened his grip around Dick's waist and pulled out a knife, holding it high above his head. "We haven't even come to the finale! Come closer and I'll plunge it into him!"

Dick suddenly felt Malone's weight being shoved off of him. He could hear the sound of fists on flesh and the screams of anguish and terror coming from both Malone and Jasper, then the sounds of whimpering and silence. Dick started to struggle once more at first as unfamiliar hands held him once more.

"Nooooo!" Dick cried out weakly, but the gag muffled his plaintive cry, not recognizing whom it was that grabbed him.

"Dick, it's me," Batman said, placing gloved hands on Dick's wet cheeks. "Open your eyes."

'BRUCE!' Dick screamed in his mind, but refused to look his rescuer in his eyes. He now knew whom it was that held him. Relief flooded his system as he went slack, giving up the fight.

"I'll get you down."

Dick felt his arms and legs being released. He clung onto Batman's forearm as he was lowered to an old lumpy mattress and he curled into a ball. The blindfold and the gag were removed, but Dick kept his eyes shut tight, not wanting to look at what Batman had done to the two men who . . . He couldn't even say the word. He realized he was shaking uncontrollably. He felt something being wrapped around him, and he realized it was Batman's cape. Not since he was Robin did Bruce do that, and only when Robin had fallen asleep in the batmobile from a long night of patrolling. Dick wished at that moment he were that naive teenage boy again. Just starting out.

"I'll alert the cops. They won't harm anyone for a very long time, if ever. I'll take you home."

Dick felt Batman lift him into his arms. "They . . . they . . . r-r-r-raped . . . me," the 24 year old cried and buried his face into his father's chest, circling his arms and clinging so tight that he could break a rib. They . . . they . . . r-r-raped . . . me." Dick repeated, this time breaking into sobs that would not stop.

Batman cursed to himself for not being fast enough to prevent the unthinkable from happening to his son. He may have saved his son from death, but not from the brutality that he had suffered. Now all they could do was deal with the aftermath. Batman carried Dick outside, lifted him up with ease and placed him in the passenger seat, but Dick didn't want to be apart from Bruce. As soon as Batman got into the batmobile, Dick leaned in, trying to get the comfort he craved, trying to feel safe once more. Batman allowed Dick to lay his head in his lap.

"I need to fasten your seat belt," Batman said.

"I . . . I . . . I need . . . " Dick couldn't get out the words as he reached for his father's waist, trying to grasp him. He hadn't cried like this since he believed that Bruce had been killed. Luckily, back then he had been wrong.

Batman could see that Dick was in a very bad way. "All right. Come here. I guess you're never too big or too old for a lap."

Dick kept the cape wrapped around him and moved so he could sit in Bruce's lap and lay his head on his shoulder, his bare legs resting on the passenger seat.

"T-t-take . . . me . . . h-h-home," Dick said through the violent trembling that racked his body.

"Batcave," Batman said, activating the batmobile by voice command. The batmobile went on autopilot driving through Gotham City and out to the highway that would lead them home. "Red Robin, Robin," Batman called on the com-link. "I have Dick. I'm taking him home."

"We took Carson into police headquarters," Red Robin stated. "Malone planted a bomb in the storage unit. We disabled it before any harm was done. I had "Damian" make a statement. Gordon is going to want to talk to Dick."

Dick shook his head hard.

"Not right now," Batman replied. "Maybe in a day or two?"

Dick visibly swallowed, "Maybe."

"Take care of Malone and his cohort. They're waiting at the house. I'll see you both back at the cave. Batman out." Once the com-link was disconnected, there was another necessary duty that had to be performed. Bruce grabbed the car phone and called the cave.

"Alfred here, Sir."

"I need you to meet me in the medical bay," Bruce said.

Hearing that, Dick shuddered. He knew what was coming, having talked with other rape victims as a police officer. On several occasions he had to be there for the victim, holding their hand while the doctor completed their examination. He never thought that he would be the victim.

"You know what's coming?" Bruce asked Dick

"Yeah," Dick said, his voice a bit muffled, but he didn't know if he could face it. "I feel like a baby."

"Dick, you're no different from any other rape victim. We need to collect DNA evidence to make the case even stronger against Malone and . . . what was the other man's name?"

"Jasper."

"Jasper as in Jasper Cage?"

Dick nodded.

"He's not only on Gotham's most wanted list, he's wanted in several states. Rape, murder, both of men and women, and even children. I'm surprised he was released and returned to the streets. He certainly could not have served his sentence."

It wasn't long when they arrived back at the cave and Alfred was waiting. Bruce observed Alfred's eyes opening wide when he exited the batmobile carrying Dick in his arms and wrapped in Batman's cape.

"Why is Master Richard wrapped in your cape?"

Bruce gently laid Dick on the examination table then placed a hand on Alfred's arm. "I'd hope never to have to use it for this. I need the DNA kit. You're going to have to swab him while I hold him."

"No, Bruce, please," Dick pleaded, sounding like 10 years old when he didn't want to do what was necessary. He never liked it when Doctor Leslie had to give him shots or took his temperature via another place. That happened when Dick was too sick to hold a thermometer in his mouth.

"Dick, look at me," Bruce took off his cowl so Dick could see his face better. At the same time he loosened the cape from around Dick's body, carefully maneuvering it so Alfred could expose his backside. "You trust Alfred don't you?"

There were more unshed tears in Dick's eyes. "Y-y-yes."

"It's got to be done. Alfred will take care of the welts as well."

"Please . . . don't . . . leave . . . me," Dick said, grabbing onto Bruce's arm.

"I'm not leaving," Bruce said, stroking Dick's hair.

"What has happened to Master Richard?" Alfred asked. "And why must he be swabbed?"

Bruce swallowed, feeling the bile raise in his throat at what had been done. "They raped him," he whispered. "You have to swab . . ."

"Ah, I understand, Master Bruce," Alfred said, but he had to keep himself from shaking with rage. To think someone had forcibly . . . It was unthinkable and appalling.

"Make it quick. Then work on his back. Those are the worst of the welts."

Alfred did as Bruce requested being as gentle and as quick as possible in grabbing the DNA sample. Dick continued to flinch and to shudder, despite it all. It would be a very long time before Dick would allow anyone to touch him again.

"I can work on your back now, Master Richard." Alfred recovered the lower half of Dick's body and grabbed the antibiotic ointment and carefully applied it to the worst of the welts after cleansing Dick's back of the blood.

"Bruce," Red Robin approached after returning his motorcycle to its parking spot. Damian quickly jumped off and followed. "We took care of everything else. The police have bagged the evidence. They'll need DNA . . ."

"Already taken care of," Bruce said, as he continued to stroke Dick's hair. He could see that Dick was relaxing under his and Alfred's ministration.

"I'll make a report," Tim said as he sat at the computer. "How is he?"

"Grayson!" Damian approached and Dick turned his head toward his little brother. "Oh god, what did they do to you? I . . . I'm sorry for what I said . . . I didn't mean for this . . ."

"Damian, it's all right," Dick consoled. "None of this is your fault."

"Father explained to me . . . I . . . I don't want you . . ."

"Shhhhhh," Dick tried to console his little brother. "I should be the one to thank you. You got away. You got help."

"But your back . . ."

" . . . Will heal," Dick said.

"Did they . . . you know . . ."

Dick's eyes grew wide. "How did you . . . " Dick watched as Damian's face paled. "Oh Dami . . . I . . . You shouldn't have to . . ."

"No, it's all right, Dick," Damian said, using Dick's first name and placing his smaller hand over Dick's larger one. "You are my brother . . . my true brother. We will get through this together."

"All right, enough. Master Richard needs to rest."

Dick closed his eyes, letting exhaustion take him, comforted in knowing that he was home. His body was still shaking, but that would stop in time. He still clung onto Bruce's hand, not wanting to let go. Bruce continued to stroke Dick's hair until the young man had relaxed enough to sleep so he could slip his hand out of Dick's grasp.

Red Robin continues to work on the report but also tried to keep watch in the background until Bruce had freed himself. "Bruce, what did happen to Dick? I didn't hear much of that conversation."

"He was raped," Bruce said.

"WHAT!?" Red Robin moved over to the medical bay and looked into Dick's face. For a moment, Red Robin saw, not the man he knew, but the boy . . . the boy that Bruce had nurtured and loved since he was ten years old. Even in sleep, Red Robin could see that the nightmare wasn't quite over for Dick. "He looks so fragile. What did they do to him, besides . . ."

Bruce turned one of Dick's arms and showed the needle marks. "Fear toxin, a lot of it. He was put through it when he was 15, but he wasn't . . . Malone added that other dimension to his torture. Back then he bounced back, within a couple of months, but this . . ."

"How is this going to effect him as Nightwing?"

"I don't know. We'll just have to take it one day at a time."

Continues with Part 13


	13. Chapter 13

My Father's Eyes Are Blue

By

AJ

Part 13

The night terrors that struck Dick were beyond anything that he had before. They had come again, night after night, for the past week, each more terrible than before, his body trying to throw off the worst of the fear toxin's effects as well as deal with what had been done to him. Dick's eyes shot open and wide, the whites clearly showing. He screamed bloody terror, still caught in the throws. The images were so horrendous he couldn't stop screaming. He was caught and he could not escape.

"NOOOOOO! NOOOOOO!"

They were worse than what he had experienced before, worse because it played over and over with Malone and Jasper leering at him, raping him over and over without end, and he was helpless to stop it, the fear toxin adding to that terror.

"NOOOOO! STOP! STOP! NOOO!"

Bruce raced into Dick's room, sat on the bed, and held his son in his arms pulling him into his lap. Dick struggled against him, not wanting to be touched by whoever or whatever was in his nightmare, not realizing whom it was that held him.

"NO! LET ME GO! Let Me GO!"

Dick's strength almost worked against Bruce, but Bruce proved to be the stronger of the two as he continued to hold onto his son as he struggled against Bruce's grasp. Tears streamed down Dick's face and he finally felt the futility of it all, and gave up the struggle. Falling limply in Bruce's embrace, Dick continued to wail out his anguish. Only then did Bruce soothe his son's broken spirit.

"Shhhhhhhh. It's okay, Dick. It's over, the nightmare's over."

"N-n-no-ho-ho- ho . . . why-hi-hi-hi . . . " Dick continued to cry out weakly trying to pull away, but Bruce held on, coaxing Dick to wake up.

"Shhhhhhhhh. Come on, son. Open your eyes."

Dick slowly opened his eyes; his wet lashes sticking together. He rubbed away the tears still streaking down his hollow cheeks, evidence that what he was going through was taking its toll. Not eating and sleeping without rest was having a profound effect on him. His spirit was crashing down around him, and Dick didn't know how much more he could take. "Damn! Why can't I get over this?" Disk said as he clung once more to his father's chest feeling like that lost ten-year-old once again.

"You were pumped full of fear toxin far more than last time," Bruce said alluding to when Dick had been 15. "And you were raped. It's going to take time. Do you want to talk to someone?"

"NO!" Dick said forcefully. "I . . . I only want you. I can talk to you, no one else."

Bruce marveled how Dick continued to trust him after all this time. "Dick, you were raped. You need to talk to someone who's gone through the same thing. Not to mention, you haven't dealt with the last two incidents, losing your memories, and being in the hands of the court of owls. Your mind can only handle so much. It's no wonder you couldn't fight back."

Dick knew that Bruce was right, but how could he face the shame of not being able to fight off Malone and his cohort along with everything else. He was 24 years old and Nightwing. He should have been able to. It wasn't fair. "I just want this to end," Dick said softly. "I don't think those antidote pills have been working on the fear toxin. There's something different about it. It should be out of my system by now. I've never felt so helpless, even when my parents were killed. You gave me a purpose. This . . . this is . . . nothing but a nightmare that I can't seem to wake from."

"You know I will always be here for you."

"I know Bru . . . Dad. I know I don't call you that . . ."

"You can call me what you like," Bruce said. "Just don't call me late for dinner."

Dick gave a sheepish smile at the levity that Bruce was trying to inject into the seriousness of the situation and he crawled back under the covers.

"That's the smile, I've been missing," Bruce said. "Now, try to get some sleep. I'll see if Leslie has someone she trusts that you can talk with. I'll make an appointment. We'll take some blood samples and I'll get Tim and Leslie to take a look at them and see what's going on."

Bruce got up to leave, but Dick grabbed onto his sleeve and would not let go.

"Um, Dad," Dick called. "Can you go with me the first time? You know, to talk to someone."

Bruce could see that Dick was pretty shaken up, not just from the night terrors but also from the whole experience. It seemed like they didn't even have a reprieve from when Dick's memories had been returned and the incident with the Striges, and now when Malone took him. Usually Dick was pretty resilient, but this had broken him in such a way that his confidence had been torn to ribbons. It had been just too much too soon. The thought of his first Robin not being able to fly tore at Bruce's heart and he thought about what Tim had asked.

'How is this going to effect him as Nightwing?'

Dick had to get back that confidence somehow or hang up his mask and eskrima sticks for good, and he knew Dick would never do that. Perhaps if they did get away for a while, leave Gotham for a short time. It wasn't just Dick who needed help. Damian had also suffered, though not as much as Dick had. He managed to free himself before anything happened, but he still felt guilty for what happened to Dick, blaming himself for this whole mess. Luckily, Damian's nightmares were few and dealt only with the guilt he must be feeling.

"Huh?" Bruce realized he hadn't answered Dick's question. "Of course I'll go with you. How about after a while, we take a vacation somewhere."

"Won't Batman be needed?"

"I think Red Robin can take care of things while we're gone."

"You mean Damian will be coming, too?"

"Can't leave your little brother behind. He'd sulk the whole time then try to kill us both when we return."

"I guess you're right," Dick said.

"And he needs it just as much as you do," Bruce pointed out. "Now, I think it's time that you try to get some more sleep."

"One more question, why aren't you on patrol?"

"My sons need me," Bruce said. "And it's been quiet in Gotham. I don't always have to go on patrol remember?"

"Oh yeah. I do remember. There were weeks sometimes when nothing would happen. You'd have me training and reading case studies as well as just going to school." Dick gave out an audible sigh.

"What troubles you?" Bruce asked.

"I just thought of a line from a movie. Can we start again, please?"

Bruce saw the pleading in Dick's eyes and realized what Dick was wishing for, but both knew that you couldn't go back, not even in years. Both had grown beyond their childhoods, but at the same time, both would sorely pay a billionaire's ransom to go back to those simpler times, to be just starting out, young and foolish, but at the same time, wise beyond their years. They would both want to hold on to what they've learned and not make the same mistakes as before. Perhaps none of this would have happened. 'But we can't go back, we cannot start again, no matter how much we would want to. All we can do is move forward.'

Bruce's face must have betrayed him, because Dick could always read him like a book, especially when they were on the same page. "I guess not," Dick said. "I guess all we can do is move forward."

'Amazing. Dick said the same thing that I had been thinking. I guess when two people truly know each other trust is always there. It's unspoken but deeply felt. I've forgotten how. Perhaps I need to talk to someone as well,' Bruce thought. "And getting sleep will help us move forward. Now, lie back and get some sleep. We'll talk more later."

"Okay, Dad," Dick said with a sideways grin.

Bruce ruffled Dick's hair just as he had when Dick was in his preteens, enjoying the father and son moment. He hadn't played that role of late, even with Damian. His youngest wasn't easy to get close to. He kept his emotions guarded and it reminded Bruce too much of himself. He was going to have to rectify that situation before Damian got too old to change.

'If I can open up more, Damian certainly can,' Bruce thought.

Bruce stayed a little while longer until Dick was once again deep in sleep. Though the young man was 24 years old, he could still see that boyish face hidden within. Dick had not really changed much over the years. Except for this terrible event in his life . . . no several terrible events one after the other, Dick still had some of that naivety about him. They had been through so much . . . too much. It's no wonder Dick seemed to lose himself in all of this.

"Please, don't lose what's inside of you," Bruce said quietly. "Please don't let this break you. Don't let them win."

Bruce leaned down and kissed Dick on the forehead then left his eldest son to check on his other son. For a moment, Bruce stopped at Tim's room and saw the empty bed. After three nights listening to Dick's screams, Tim decided to stay at Dick's apartment, not because he didn't care about his brother, he cared too deeply. He was scared for him and needed time to think. It was hard listening to the suffering that Dick had endured. Tim never had to deal with such pain as a parent being murdered or having been so physically and mentally abused to have night terrors that left you exhausted. Bruce didn't blame him, though every time Dick would scream it tore a larger hole in everyone's heart knowing what Matthew Malone and Jasper Cage did to him. And getting through such terror was going to take time. Bruce moved down the hall and opened Damian's door to find his youngest sitting up in bed.

"Father?"

"Damian, why aren't you asleep?"

"I heard Dick screaming. It woke me up. Is he all right?"

"He's okay for now. He's asleep again, and you should be too."

"Father, what's going to happen to Dick?"

"What do you mean?"

"I think he needs someone to talk to," Damian said.

"You think so?" Bruce couldn't help smile slightly at his son's perception.

"If he were to talk to someone it may help him," Damian brought his knees up and rested his chin on his arms. "He cannot be Nightwing if he cannot deal with what he went through. I mean he could end up being a liability out in the field."

"Is that all?"

"No, Father," Damian said turning his face away. A tear had slipped down and he didn't want to appear weak. "I do not like . . . Grayson this way. I find I miss his . . . smile . . . and his hugs."

"Well, then we'll have to help him get that smile back," Bruce responded. "And the hugs. Better get some more sleep, Damian. Tomorrow you have school. I'll keep you informed about your brother."

"Yes, Father. And thank you. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Damian."

Bruce marveled at Damian's perception again. He had come to the same conclusion, but from a different angle. And Damian just proved that he cared more than he let on.

'Don't worry, my son,' Bruce thought as he closed the door to Damian's room. 'We'll take care of your brother.'

Bruce still couldn't sleep. His heart and his mind were in turmoil over his sons, especially Dick. Tears threatened to spill as his thoughts returned to those three words that no parent wanted to hear in their lifetime, "They raped me." As Batman he caught both men in the act and the rage that he felt tore a whole in his spirit that if he let go, both men would have been dead.

As a father, he never wanted his child to suffer that kind of fate, and as Batman he did his best to ensure that it wouldn't happen, but this time, he couldn't stop it, and it tore his spirit just as it had his eldest son. So, every night this week he would enter Dick's room to hold him when the night terrors came, and to walk, trying to find comfort in the familiar, but it seemed to elude him. On nights like this he didn't patrol, he would walk the halls of Wayne Manor, always ending up in the ballroom where his father's bust stood against the windows. Tonight there was a full moon, just as there had been that fateful night. He asked his father for a sign and he brought it, a bat that became his symbol. Once again, he stood looking out the window, waiting, waiting as if for a sign that everything would be all right.

"Father, I don't know what to do. My son has suffered so much these past few months. His spirit is broken and I cannot fix it. I am afraid I'm going to lose him. Flying is all he ever loved, flying and crime fighting. They've taken that away from him, stripped him of his spirit. Is there no hope? Please, show me there's hope still."

As he gazed out at the moon, something small crossed the face. It was a bird, a robin? What would a robin be doing flying at this time of night? It must have been spooked from its nest. Suddenly a large bird of prey came swooping out of the darkened sky aiming right straight for the small bird. Bruce watched as the smaller of the two birds bobbed and weaved out of the larger bird's grasp. Time seemed to stop, as they danced that way together, neither one winning a victory over the other, until the smaller bird suddenly dived and succeeded in making the safety of the trees. He watched as the hawk flew away, and the small robin emerged, this time not alone. Another flew with the bird, its mate. Together they flew, watching each others backs, flying southward.

Bruce turned toward his father's bust. 'Many years ago you gave me a sign as I sat bleeding, sending a bat through these very windows. It started me on my chosen path. Now my eldest son is broken and you have given me another sign. You will fly again, my Robin . . . my Nightwing. Thank you, Father for that sign. You've given me hope.'

Bruce left the ballroom and headed for his own bed comforted in the fact that soon, very soon both his Robins will once again take flight.

End

/

A/N: This story did turn out darker than even I expected. And then suddenly the title took on a second meaning. The role that Bruce had taken on he did not realize just how much anguish it would also cause him, and that's why after a time, he started guarding his heart more, and not trusting. Early on, Bruce and Dick were like two peas in a pod, always on the same wavelength, always being able to understand each other. Suddenly, that wasn't there any more and it hurt Dick a lot and he couldn't understand why Bruce was behaving the way he was. Dick still wanted to trust him, and knew deep down that he could trust Bruce to be there when he absolutely needed him. That was part of their vow, but Bruce almost broke that vow twice. Still Dick continued to trust Bruce to do what was right. Bruce also in his life tried to protect his "Robins" from certain kinds of harm. Physical wounds aside, the type of harm he tried to protect them from was the combined physical and mental harm that would leave the spirit shattered, because as a father, that would also shatter him. That would leave him with a deep sadness that he might require help to overcome. Next to death, this would be the worst. In fact, death would have been much easier to bear than having your child's spirit shattered to a point where it seemed nothing would help. And it seemed to me that as this story unfolded, my muse wanted to deal out a story that would leave Bruce somewhat broken as well, and also having to deal with the aftermath.


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